Purdue's Board of Trustees on Oct. 9 approved the request to extend Ladisch's contract through June 30, 2018.

"Dean Ladisch has demonstrated incredible leadership these past five years in launching and nurturing Purdue's youngest college," said Deba Dutta, Purdue's provost and executive vice president for academic affairs and diversity. "We appreciate that Dean Ladisch is willing to continue serving in this role, and her leadership will be critical to all the progress underway in the college as it moves forward in supporting the new Pillars of Excellence in the Life Sciences and Purdue Moves."

Ladisch served as inaugural dean when the college was launched in 2010, and she was named dean in 2013. The college has celebrated the opening of Lyles-Porter Hall, home to many departments, including the nationally ranked Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences; a $2 million National Institutes of Health grant to bring a clinical MRI to campus for health and life sciences research; and strengthening a variety of research and education programs in public health, autism, neuroscience and behavioral sciences.

"We've come a long way as a young college, and there is more work to be done," Ladisch said. "I am very grateful to our exceptional faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends, for it is their work and support that has made our success possible."

Ladisch had served as vice provost for academic affairs since July 2005 and as associate provost since 2001. Prior to those roles in the Office of Provost, she served as associate dean for academic affairs in the College of Consumer and Family Sciences from 1993 to 1999 and as department head of consumer sciences and retailing from 1999 to 2001. Ladisch co-chaired the accreditation steering committee that in 2010 helped Purdue earn continued accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.